Pacers coach Frank Vogel raved about the play of Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard, saying they "were just unstoppable tonight. That's all there is to that." The Blazers' defense, too, was outstanding, holding Indiana to 37.5 percent field goal shooting.

One area we shouldn't forget, though, is the Blazers' bench. Yup, the reserve unit that is often the biggest complaint among fans, which ranks last in the league at 13.4 points per game, was a big part of the win.

The Blazers' bench outscored Indiana's 19-15, just the second time all season Portland had an advantage in that category. The other came Dec. 28 against the Lakers in Los Angeles, when Portland had a 35-27 bench advantage. But that's deceptive as that game was a 27-point blowout win for the Lakers, and the bench difference was built in fourth-quarter mopup time.

Last night was entirely different.

The key stretch for the reserves came in the second quarter. The Blazers started with a lineup of Ronnie Price, Will Barton, Nicolas Batum, LaMarcus Aldridge and Meyers Leonard. At 9:11, coach Terry Stotts subbed in Wesley Matthews for Batum, and J.J. Hickson came in for Leonard with 8:11 left.

But Price and Barton were out there for the quarter's first 7:59, allowing Lillard to have an unusually long rest. In that stretch, the Blazers outscored Indiana 18-11 and took control of the game. Stotts didn't necessarily plan to ride Price and Barton for so long.

"That stretch, Ronnie did a terrific job of running the show," Stotts said. "And those minutes were very valuable, and they were effective. When things are going well, guys deserve to stay on the floor."

The long rest gave Lillard fresh legs for the second half, when he played the entire way before leaving with 1:16 left and scored 16 of his 20 points. After halftime, Lillard was more aggressive than he has been all season attacking the basket, with five of his final six baskets coming on drives to the hoop. He didn't make a three-point shot, but he did have two three-point plays via drives.

"I was happy I could get that kind of rest when our team could sustain and even pick up our energy level," Lillard said.

The rookies, Barton and Leonard, each finished with eight points as the Blazers' bench did its damage without a significant contribution from forward Luke Babbitt, who has more double-digit scoring games (five) than any reserve, but played just 1:57.

Barton played 20:36 and Leonard -- still trying to get his wind back after missing 11 games with an ankle sprain -- played 18:12. There's clearly a point of diminishing return for both guys. Midway through the fourth quarter, Barton took two really bad shots in a row. Leonard picked up a slew of avoidable fouls.

At one point in his news conference, Stotts was asked what he was talking with Leonard about when he pulled him aside after a substitution. Stotts asked, "Which time?" When a reporter specified the moment, Stotts joked, "I don't know. I was yelling at him the whole night."

The Blazers' 19-15 bench advantage was clinched when Leonard scored two baskets in the final minute, after the Blazers' starters were subbed out. However, the Pacers ended the game with their starters still in, so they were not cheap buckets.

And there's something significant about having Leonard and Barton -- draft picks for whom the Blazers have long-term plans -- be the guys who keyed the bench advantage. Even though the Blazers are in playoff contention, and they will certainly look to improve the second unit this summer, they still need guys they already have to develop for the long-term. Wednesday was a good step forward.